Our dog
I've always loved dogs, particularly the various gun dog breeds such as English Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Labradors, and Golden Retrievers.
I love their intelligence and trainability, their energy and agility, and their companionable nature and loyalty.
I grew up with a lovely Golden Retriever and had always wanted to get one of my own as an adult, but it wasn't until 2021, when our girls were a bit older and I was able to work from home part of the week that I was finally able to do so.
A much-loved family pet
From the first day we got her, Tiffin has been an amazing family pet. She's been easy to train, is always happy being around us, and brings so much joy to our home.
I'm usually the first one up in the morning and I never tire of seeing the enthusiastic greeting that takes place between my daughters and Tiffin when they come downstairs for breakfast (and then again when they return home from school).
Having a good family dog is the best thing and I can't imagine life without one!
A working-line retriever
Tiffin is a working-line Golden Retriever, which means she's lighter, slimer, and more agile than typical show-line Golden Retrievers. Working-line retrievers were specifically bred to work out in the field, where their double coats protect them from the wet and the cold and their soft mouths are perfect for carrying downed birds very gently.
All of which means that Tiffin loves being 'worked', using her nose, and retrieving items. In fact, both of her parents were used to pick up birds on shoots, so this is very much in her genes!
We don't take her on shoots, but she and I thoroughly enjoyed completing the Pet Gun Dog (level 1) training course at the National Dog Training Academy in the summer of 2023.
Additional links
- I featured Tiffin in one of my content design articles: 6 content design principles that apply to puppy training.
- Tiffin's pedigree and health checks can be seen on her profile page ("Parsloe Quartz") on The Kennel Club (UK) website.
